Community demands removal of police, Wells Fargo, arms contractors from Capitol Pride Parade

On the 8th of May, the Capitol Pride board held a rare open community meeting as controversy swirled about the inclusion of MPD, Wells Fargo, arms contractors, MD live, and other inappropriate sponsors and contingents in the upcoming June 10 parade. Many people from marginalized groups showed up to ask pointed questions, the board's answers were long on words but almost completely empty of any commitments to take action.The Capitol Pride board had refused to make this year's Pride a political act of resistance to the Trump agenda as in multiple other US cities this year. In an earlier meeting one white cisgendered male on the Pride board said the board was refusing to remove the police or Wells Fargo from the parade or as sponsors. One especially transphobic person has been removed from Pride's organizing but many more issue remain. There are now demands forom the community that some of the white cisgendered males step down to make way for members of other parts of DC's GLBTQ community to be represented on the board.

Pride celebrates Stonewall, a riot fought beginning June 28, 1969 when police attempted to raid NYC's famous Stonewall Inn, a Gay bar at that time. Today, MPD is trying to send other people to prison for up to 75 years for allegedly rioting on Jan 20 against Trump's inauguration. In other words, DC police want to celebrate one riot while putting people in prison for the rest of their lives for another alleged riot.

MPD also routinely arrests trangender folks just like those who fought at Stonewall for sex work or the perception of being sex workers, just like the NYPD was doing when they raided places like the Stonewall Inn. Wells Fargo, a "gold" sponsor contributing $15,000 to Capitol Pride is infamous for their spending on private prisons as well as housing discrimination so severe that the DC Council is considering terminating the city's business with Wells Fargo. Other banks investing in gentrification and eviction are also unwelcome, and several speakers called out the merchants of death who sell weapons to the Pentagon and the US's vassal states as also being unwelcome at Pride.

"Presidential" sponsor MD Live Casino is owned by The Cordish Companies. Their CEO David Cordish is an infamous supporter of Trump. His son, Reed Cordish ,  has been appointed as an assistant to the president. Trump seeks to imprison and deport many members of our community for the color of their skin, as part of his dreams to deport up to 11 million people of Indigenous descent from this Indigenous land. There is no Pride in the evil that Trump and his minions are responsible for.

Video-selected moments as community members question the Capitol Pride board